Kumar Dheeraj is a senior research administration professional with over 23 years of extensive experience in health research governance, institutional grant management, and data and repository oversight. He currently serves as Senior Manager, Research Administration Team at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), New Delhi, where he plays a strategic role in strengthening institutional research systems and ensuring compliance with national and international funding and regulatory agencies.

With a strong academic background that includes an MBA in NGO, Disaster and Health & Hospital Care, a Professional Diploma in Clinical Research, and postgraduate training in computer applications, Dheeraj combines managerial expertise with robust technical and analytical skills. His core competencies include research governance, institutional registration and renewal, grants administration, ethics coordination, cross-functional collaboration, and centralized data management.

At PHFI, he leads pre-award and post-award processes, supporting researchers in proposal development, institutional due diligence, funding agency compliance, and project lifecycle management. He is instrumental in developing and maintaining institutional dashboards and repositories that track proposals, awards, publications, and research outputs, providing critical inputs for decision-making, annual reports, and governing board reviews.

Dheeraj also holds a key leadership role as Lead Member of the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) Secretariat, where he oversees ethical review processes, regulatory compliance, documentation, and communication between researchers and the committee. His contribution ensures that all research activities adhere to national and institutional ethical standards.

Earlier in his career, he worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator and Data Manager at the Kala-Azar Medical Research Centre, contributing to WHO/TDR and European Commission-funded projects on visceral leishmaniosis. His professional journey reflects a rare blend of operational excellence, regulatory knowledge, and a deep commitment to ethical and high-quality research systems.

Recognized for his reliability, institutional memory, and collaborative approach, Kumar Dheeraj is widely regarded as a key pillar in building efficient, transparent, and compliant research administration frameworks in the public health sector.